Shreela began her working life as a performer; after re-training as a reporter with BBC TV News, Shreela went on to make documentaries. She then became the Director of a national dance agency before joining the Arts Council of England in 1994. Five years on Shreela was appointed Head of Arts at London Borough of Tower Hamlets and she then moved to the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation (one of the largest grant-makers in the UK) to become its first Programme Director for Arts & Heritage. Shreela went on to launch the Louise T Blouin Institute with an exhibition by James Turrell and this led to an invitation from Iniva to help launch Rivington Place – a new Visual Arts Centre designed by David Adjaye.

Shreela has an MA in European Cultural Policy from the University of Warwick and a Diploma in History of Art from the University of London. She has served on a committee at NESTA – National Endowment of Science Technology & Arts and was a member of the Greater London Authority’s Mayor’s Commission on African and Asian Heritage. She is currently a member of the Heritage Lottery Fund (London Committee); on the Board of the European Cultural Foundation which works across the EU and in the neighbouring states, and DV8 - founded by the choreographer Lloyd Newson.